There is this wonderful place in Ogden, UT called Wood Creations. It's a place where you can get precut wood to make pretty much anything you want. They have letters, sets for every season, paint, paper, glitter, vinyl letters... anything you would need to make block decorations. Don't mind my workstation, I am on the messy side. I call it creativity... haha! Who am I kidding? I'm just not too great at organization... yet! Anyway... On with the tutorial on making a name banner.
Things you'll need:
Banner Triangles with holes for putting wire through for hanging
Paint
Paint brush (I use foam brushes)
Coordinating Paper
Cutting Mat
Xacto Knife or scissors
Modge Podge
Sand Paper
Wire
Pre-cut letters or if you have a circuit or silhouette, you can do this yourself with the supplies needed.
Embellishments such as ribbon, jewels, anything you'd want to decorate with.
Transfer Tape
1. Paint the triangles whatever color you want. I painted them an offwhite to match my paper. If you want to make them each a different color to match the paper you use for that triangle, go ahead. Be creative! I used the same color to make it easier on myself.
2. To save paint, you don't need to pain the whole side that you will put the paper on. It's not saving much, but every little bit counts. Just pain the sides in enough that when you cover it with paper you can't see the wood.
3. Using Modge Podge or some other type of glue to get the paper on. I just take the whole piece of paper that I chose and then I pu the whole paper on after I put glue on the wood. Then I cut off the paper. Using an xacto knife and my cutting mat, I go along the edge and make it flush with the wood. Be careful! Xacto knives are very sharp and will also cut the wood if you get too close and take off your paint. Go over the edges lightly with the sandpaper to make them smooth. Then I paint the edges again, this time painting a little bit on the paper to blend it in.
4. I used my Silhouette Cameo to make this. It's the Dr. Seuss font and I just made additional square cuts to make it easier to get off.
5. Using transfer tape, you just put it on the vinyl. Use a credit card, dough scraper or something that is flat on one side and go over it very thoroughly. You will need to be able to take off the vinyle just lifting the tape.
6. Position letter on the triangle. Make sure that you don't touch the paper with the vinyl until you have it where you want it. It's kinda hard to have come off. Go over it again with the credit card or scraper and then lift off tape slowly.
7. Use wire to connect the wooden triangles together and decorate to your hearts desire! Mine is very bare... I didn't want it to be too decorative.
